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June 28, 2010
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time [July 4, 2010]
Are you a city or a country dweller? That may sound like an odd question, but I have the sense that it will make considerable difference in the way you perceive the world and life itself.
My own experience is that of a country dweller, at least until it became important to my parents that I choose the closest city to live and attend a Catholic secondary school. In all honesty, I made no objection to that choice. I did not like farm work or the isolation from my friends who lived in the city. (In a moment I will appeal to the scriptures try get a sense of the advantages of city or country life.)
In the meantime, let me say that the advantages of life in either the country or the city depend either on your personal tastes or upon your need to make a living.
Some people, of course, seem to have the best of both choices: they live in the city but spend their vacation time on a farm or a ranch. Their subsistence does not stem from tilling the soil. Perhaps they are merchants or bankers or real-estate brokers. Their weekends, therefore, provide a release from the pressures of city life.
When one compares the advantages and disadvantages of city versus country living, the city has all one needs within walking distance. Cities are also places from where one’s living comes. Here is where people interact for good or ill. The city may be a crowded noisy, smelly pressure pot, but it also provides rich cultural and recreational fare if you can afford it.
The rural environment, on the other hand, is a place of quiet where nature in all its beauty provides the best quiet and peaceful experiences one can hope for. The seasons are distinct, the weather can be wonderful (full of wonder) or it can scare the dickens out of you. In the country, you are on your own whether to enjoy the world or to deal with its natural dangers.
All this I offer as an introduction to the scripture for this Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
The early chapters of Genesis seem to say that God first created humankind to either be tillers of the soil or herders of goats and sheep. This way of life seemed to go well until “the man” began to create towers and cities. That is when life began to fall apart; God needed to “step in” and scatter folks abroad. Nonetheless, the lesson was not learned. Some time later we hear the sad story of the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah that were eventually turned into salt for their sinfulness. (Or so the story goes) Given that bad start, the man continued to gather into cities until it eventually it became obvious that cities were the most convenient way to live together, unless you loved the soil and the smell of sheep and goats.
Hence, in the first reading from Isaiah the prophet in scriptures chosen for today we actually hear a beautiful panegyric (poetic praise) for the city of Jerusalem; he waxes eloquently regarding the city he loved, comparing it to a nursing mother who fondles her children in her arms and provides rich milk from her abundant breasts. He is referring, of course, to the city, the temple, its beauty and its religious services. (Now, that is graphic language meant for a different age, but it is poetically true nonetheless)
The Hebrew people had only one city of any note, Jerusalem. Many herders and rural dwellers loved the wind and the sand of the desert, but Jerusalem was still “mother.” This is where God chose to meet his people for nourishment. This is the city that Jesus Mary and Joseph visited many times, perhaps to buy groceries at the markets, but also to worship at the temple
I imagine we Twenty First Century city dwellers might feel less inclined to speak so lovingly of our cities but we love them nonetheless for all the beautiful accoutrements. In some sense, New York City or South Bend, Indiana could be considered not as a street tramp, but a mother where many good things, cultural or spiritual are abundantly provided. Given all that, we must say that cities are neither good nor bad. It is the people who build them, destroy them and rebuild them who must judge the quality of city life.
Let us now turn for a moment to Jesus and his sense of place, whether the country or the city. In the selection from Luke for this Sunday we hear Jesus instructing his disciples as follows: “The Lord appointed a further 72 and sent them out before him to every town and village that he intended to visit. The harvest is rich but the workers are few.” This indicates quite clearly that Jesus meant his ministry for the cities and villages for a simple reason: that is where the most people are. And so we have names of many villages listed from the North, south to Jerusalem. If the people accepted him, he would preach and heal; if he found opposition, he would shake the dust off his feet and travel elsewhere.
Thus it is still today. Lay Catholics are finding it more and more difficult to find a church in their rural neighborhood. Priests are becoming more and more scarce each year. Therefore they find it necessary to travel considerable distances to participate in Sunday worship.
Finally, it should be noted that Jesus did not spend his entire time in the cities of Palestine. In several points in the Gospel we note that Jesus would go out into rural areas (wilderness?) to pray to the Father and simply to catch his breath from overwork. He invited the apostles to follow him when people were overwhelming him with requests.
In conclusion, it is my sense that in the age in which we live, it is almost imperative that we be citizens both of the city and the country. As in Jesus time, the pressures on our time are increasing. Therefore, a weekend away or a vacation in the wilderness or the shore is practically obligatory for us in order to maintain our sense of psychological and spiritual balance. Of prime importance is the need we have of contemplation and meditation. Some can find such places in their quiet office cubicle; others need to get out of town and find God in the quietness of God’s good nature. God will find you in the place you choose. Just choose it, don’t delay.
Isaiah 66: 10-14; Galatians 6: 14-18; Luke10: 1-12, 17-20
Posted by Cindy Lentine at 02:28 PM.
June 21, 2010
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time [June 27, 2010]
A few days ago I happened to be reading one of Thomas Merton’s essays in his journal. It was entitled, "My Book into which every thing can go." Here is what he wrote: “Beyond all and in all is God.” Perhaps in the end, therefore, the book of life is the book of what one has lived. If one has lived nothing one is not in the book of life.
It has often occurred to me in this eighth decade of my life to ask the question: What is in the book of my life? What have I accomplished, what have I done during these 80 plus years that has been of any lasting value, indeed how has my work, my plans made any difference in the kingdom of God? That seems to be a serious question. Perhaps, on occasion, you too have asked yourself that question. Where do I fit into the plan of God for the fulfillment of the kingdom?
It may seem like a mysterious and insignificant question until we reflect on the fact that during the short span of our life we may have held impressive positions: president of the university, superior of the house, head of a department, president of the United States, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Perhaps we amassed several higher degrees, academic or honorary. People may have sponsored dinners in our honor, said congratulatory things about us. Perhaps it seemed very important at that moment in our history; honorary plaques hang on the walls of our rooms. And all for what? What’s it all about? (Remember the famous song and film with Michael Caine and Diane Warwick back in the ‘60’s? “What’s it all about Alfie? Is it just about the moment we live?) Good question. What is it all about? What have all these years of effort meant in the broader scheme of God’s plan for the cosmos? Do we and all our successes ultimately count for very much?
We have all preached countless homilies, given many learned lectures during our life. Have they ultimately changed anything in anyone’s life? Who will remember it tomorrow?
All this may sound rather depressing, but I think it is an important question to ask occasionally. So, where do we, have we fit into God’s plan for our small world. What did we think we were doing? What difference did we think it would ever make?
Perhaps we did imagine that we had brought about some significant progress for human life in the modern world. But others follow us who will far out distance us in various successes. It happens, it happens all the time.
So, the ultimate question is this: Given the billions of people who have passed through this planet earth, where do we fit in? Did we ever imagine that the world might very well get along without us? You see, these questions are all about perspective? How we perceive God’s kingdom in this world. How does the world see us?
Interestingly, some individuals mentioned in todays scriptures already thought about these questions. In the passage from the First Book of Kings we hear the story of the passage of prophetic power from the shoulders of Elijah to Elisha. Elisha hardly felt worthy to accept the prophetic power of a man like Elijah, and all his successes; yet it seemed to be important in the scheme of salvation that the seamless transfer of power should assure the continuity of God’s communication with the Israelites. Elijah is now without power; Elisha now carries the mantle of prophecy, but for how long and with what effect? Prophets throughout history have come and gone. Who remembers Dan Berrigan and Elizabeth McAlister? So too with presidents and kings and governors and superiors of houses and all of us, and to what effect? We play our role and others succeed us.
The gospel also provides a small piece of Jesus’ life on the road along with many successes but also many failures. In this passage we learn a little something about the cost of discipleship. People clamor around Jesus making bold promises about their willingness to follow him. Jesus always replies, in so many words, asking: “Do you realize how all embracing this ministry will be? Can you give up everything for the sake of the kingdom of God? Think about that.
But here follows an interesting little aside about power: Jesus and the disciples are passing through Samaritan country. The Samaritans, of course, will have nothing to do with these Israeli preachers: James and John, the bold ones, therefore ask Jesus whether they should call down lightning fire from heaven. “Jesus,” the text says, “rebuked them.” “Shut up he says, we’ve got work to do, let’s keep on traveling.”
This is an interesting little vignette because it points out the hubris of power. These two apostles bravely thought they could call down fire from heaven in order to force these Samaritans to accept the good news. What ever happened to freedom of will the freedom of conscience? It’s no wonder that Jesus told them to shut up.
There is sobering insight that can be drawn from these two passages of scripture: First of all, power does not belong to us alone or for very long. Secondly, despite all the impressive things we have done in our life, the power always passes on to someone else. Often all that is left is a scant memory of someone and something.
The sobering fact is that unless we somehow can imagine our life’s work as part of God’s plan for his kingdom, part of the book of life, it will not be remembered for very long, if at all.
On the other hand, if we are able to set aside our own hubris, our pride of self and try to find our place not in the little kingdom we have built but in God’s plan for the cosmos, there may well be joy in heaven where no person, no good act is ever forgotten.
Scriptures: 1 Kings 19: 16b, 19-21; Galatians 5: 1, 13-18; Luke 9: 51-62
Posted by Cindy Lentine at 10:48 AM.
June 18, 2010
Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time [June 20, 2010]
Before I bravely begin another reflection, let me make the point that I am not always so perfectly clear regarding what I am talking about in these writings that I do each week, but for some mysterious reason I seem to muster the courage to forge on ahead, trusting my human instincts, with the hope that my writing will not fall into the hands ecclesiastical powers. At this point in my life, changing careers is neither a choice nor a desire.
Nonetheless, there is some deep intuition that seems to prod me to ask questions, to search for answers, to plumb mysteries. In doing this, I always feel that I am on safe ground because I invariably begin by examining some particular selection of the Word of God. There are many scriptural selections that beg for answers or at least further exploration.
And so it is on this Sunday that we celebrate a familiar selection from the writer Luke: “Who do people say I am?” Jesus asks his friends. “Well, they reply, “some say you are a prophet or a man sent by God, a person who does marvelous deeds. Then Jesus turns to his confidant, Peter, the brave one, who replies with certain bravado: “Why, you are the Christ (the Anointed) of God.” Interestingly, Jesus does not say whether that answer is “right” or “wrong.” He simply continues with a mysterious prediction that he would need to undergo much suffering and ultimately be executed for breaking the law by preaching without the authorization of the temple authorities. Horrors!
The point that Jesus is making here, a point Peter obviously did not fully understand, is this: “Peter, in a short while, life is going to get rough. All of us are going to be tested. I’m inviting you to have the courage to join me in this last great venture. If you try to escape the persecution that is near, that is if you try to save your life, all your efforts thus far will have no meaning. If you decide to risk your life with me, you will have abundant rewards. It sounds like a “divine conundrum.” Living means dying and dying means living. How do you figure that out? The answer only comes when we follow Peter’s life until the end when he is finally crucified in Rome, all for taking the risk and following Jesus.
The critical issue here is Jesus” question: “Who do people say that I am? Who do you say that I am?”
In some sense that was an unfair question to Peter: if one examines it psychologically: my hunch is that we ourselves truly do not know who we are. Yes, we know our name, we know how we feel about ourselves, we know what we are skilled at and know where we do poorly. But when we ask the deeper question, who am I really? The answer to that lies in the mind of God.
But that does not mean that we should abandon the quest of human identity, the question, “who am I?” I would suggest that if we should decide one day simply to disappear into the nearest hiding place and think about that question, some rather astonishing answers would surface.
However, one other insight comes out of that brief conversation between Jesus and Peter. Jesus tells Peter to get ready for suffering, maybe even death. That will give you some insight about my identity. Why so? Simply, because life is filled with contradictions, with disappointments, with failures. In other words, the person who thinks about those great mysteries (Why me???) will ultimately begin to come to some light, some personal intuition. Suffering can bring a glimmer of understanding out of life’s mysteries. On the other hand, if we are determined to face great obstacles with a certain quietness of soul, insight will come; maybe not the full enlightenment we hope for but a sort of gradual peaceful acquiescence amidst life’s quandaries.
Hence, I make the humble suggestion that if someone asks you who you are, just say, “well I am an on-going question.” The ancient and famous oracle at Delphi, Greece offers some insight,“ know thyself.” To that I would add: Life is not a puzzle to be figured out, but a mystery to be contemplated. I think I will leave it there, lest I drift into dangerous waters.
Zechariah 12: 10-11; 13:1; Galatians 3: 26-29; Luke 9: 18-24
Posted by Cindy Lentine at 11:12 AM.
June 10, 2010
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time [June 13, 2010]
Back in the year 1967, Stanley Kramer, the famous Hollywood director, did a film that is still remembered by many people today. It was a half-serious comedy on inter-racial marriage. The title was: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. It is the story of a young woman, daughter of a wealthy San Francisco family who has fallen in love with a handsome young African American doctor. The plot, of course, centers on the mother and father who were not so enthusiastic about the possibility of their lovely white daughter marrying a black man. It was at a time in modern history when such marriages were still not recognized as legal in parts of the South. At any rate, it took a good part of the film for the parents to get used to this situation. Actually, I cannot remember if the couple did marry, but there were some great lines in the film about race relations in the 60’s.
A film such as this will call to mind our own prejudices (we versus them) and how long it often takes for us to overcome them. Race relations between whites and blacks are fairly peaceful today but perhaps for many of us there was a time when we wondered if it was even appropriate for us (whites) to comingle with our black neighbors. Of course, we would not admit of prejudice, but I’m sure, from my own experience, that I might have wondered if it was appropriate to strike up a relationship with folks of other races. As far as I can remember, there were no black students enrolled in our Catholic school, even though the black population of our city was roughly 10%. We just did not think much about race in my time. We lived in the North.
I imagine, however that historians and sociologists would tell us that segregation has been a “natural” phenomenon from the beginning of recorded history. At any rate for those of us who follow Judaeo-Christian history and culture there are many incidences of racial and religious tensions.
To make a point of this, we have a familiar story from the gospel of Luke today that describes an incident in Jesus’ life and work. He is invited to the home of a local Pharisee for (men only) dinner. In he midst of the meal a woman, seemingly well known in the city, and pays Jesus the respect of anointing his feet with perfumed oil. The host is aghast at this and asks Jesus if he knows what sort of woman this is, that she is a sinner. (She may simply have been a member of the social underclass for all we know) The point is that she broke into a men-only dinner and touched a rabbi. What was Jesus to do for this act of respect and kindness? Well, we know from our reading that he forgave the woman her sins, whatever they were.
The table host immediately protests such actions…forgiving sin in public. Then Jesus makes an interesting statement that biblical scholars translate as follows: “I tell you, her great love proves that her many sins have been forgiven; where little has been forgiven little love is shown. Obviously, the woman showed great love in anointing Jesus’ feet; it was in this act that her many sins were forgiven.
This is one of those beautiful “putdown” stories in Luke’s gospel, more than in any of the other three gospels that shows immense respect and concern for women.
An interesting point is that all this happened “at table” where so many other of Jesus’ conversations took place. This incident is similar to the many other incidents where Jesus reaffirms his special compassion for those regarded by others as outside he law and of no account, those suffering from the disadvantages of physical, psychological and spiritual infirmities---women, mentally disturbed people, all were welcomed at table with Jesus. In other words, it is at table that relationships are sealed, where we get to know one another, especially if they happen to be strangers.
In some sense, Jesus was declaring the “old” law of discrimination not to be operable any longer. With love everything can be forgiven.
I have never thought much about that line in my preparation for confession. I always seem to ask: “What have I done wrong” than, how deep is my love?
Perhaps, like the couple mentioned above, we too are often faced with human situations involving people we do not know; perhaps we even find ourselves at table with them. The tendency at first may be to say to ourselves “they are not like me.” But if we simply hold our minds open, we will find that by dessert time our minds may have become acclimated to the lives of these of these folks and then we will find ourselves thinking: “Hey, they are just like me.” Sometimes, of course, it just takes little while for all that to sink in.
Readings: 2 Samuel 12: 7-10, 13; Galatians 2: 16, 19-21; Luke 7: 36-8-3
Posted by Cindy Lentine at 11:20 AM.
June 01, 2010
Body and Blood of Christ [June 6, 2010]
A good friend of mine who lives far from where I live and write, e mailed me some while ago and asked if I ever tire of writing from the scriptures. “Doesn’t it ever get old,” he asked. “How do you come up with ideas week after week year after year?” I cannot remember precisely how I responded but I think I said something to the effect that scripture is always like a banquet table laid out with the finest food and wine. People come and dine, but amazingly the food never seems to diminish, new plates of fresh and attractive servings keep on appearing as though out of nowhere.” That is something the way I experience God’s word.
I must admit, however, after I have read a particular passage that is assigned to the current Sunday liturgy and then seat myself at my trusty I Mac word processor, there are some moments when I just sit there in front of a white screen….nothing coming to mind. Then, I go back to that passage and read it slowly again, and “wow,” an idea pops into view and there we go. All one needs is a little hint from a phrase and we’re off and running!
Well, actually, it is not all that simple, but there is no doubt in my mind that the scriptures like no other sort of classical writing is filled with original thought, new ideas, fresh insights. They lie just below the surface ready to be plucked when they appear.
I say this with particular insight on the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi, we once named it.)
The scriptures are all about bread and wine, about being nourished and nourishing others. The central story is about the long teaching Jesus did one day. It ran on into the evening and his listeners still had not had anything to eat. Jesus disciples reminded him of the situation. His response: “You give them some food to eat.” Of course, as the story proceeds, the disciples protested that they had only a few loaves and some fish. Jesus blessed and said, “Now, pass those around.” Of course, we already know the ending; we’ve read it before. There was more than enough to go around. “Now pick up the remains,” Jesus said. “Nothing must go to waste.” Fabulous story just filled with ideas for our time, place, culture and conditions.
Back to my original thought: There seems to be no end to the enlightenment to be found in the scriptures.
So, how does this passage about the bread, fish and three thousand people fit our time and place today?
The question is this: Is there enough food to go around in the age in which we live?
I found some truly amazing insights on a web-sight titled: www. stop the hunger.com. The folks at this site bring statistics into real time. For instance, on an ordinary (of course no day is ordinary) over 13,000 people will die of hunger. On one particular day, the researchers determined that 1,021,795,769 people were undernourished, while 1,146,175,278 are overweight and 341,133,043 are obese. In the United States alone millions of dollars are spent on obesity-related diseases, more is spent on weight loss products and programs. Some pretty serious figures in a world where everyone could be fed with the help, good will and cooperation of all nations.
Okay, I realize that such figures may not belong in a homily, strictly so-called. Nonetheless, the scriptures are also about real life and homilies ought also be about the realities of current life.
Passing on to a less frightening thought. The scripture about feeding the 5,000 can also find some relevance in other, different sorts of feeding. We all realize that we personally cannot make a serious dent in those numbers. It is true, nonetheless, that there are ways in abundance that we can feed one another. We all live together in couples, families, groups, friends. Even a superficial glance will tell us that many people of our acquaintance are mentally, spiritually, emotionally hungry. Yes, perhaps we individually are hungry for a kind glance, a smile, a hug, or a gentle word. True, we must live on food, but there is food and there is food. Was it Paul who said that man (sic) lives on more than food but on every word that flows from the mouth of God.
So, we are back to food once again and the question arises, what do you hunger for, what food do you have that you would be willing to share with others so that all may live? “We can’t do everything,” but, with a push from God, we’d better do something for someone beside ourselves.
I close with a powerful line from Paul: “The Word of God is like two edged sword, cutting deep between flesh and marrow.” In other words there is a deepness in God’s Word that cannot be measured or even countenanced.
Yes, there will be enough food for another homily next week, God willing.
Genesis 14: 18-20; 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26; Luke 9: 11b-17
Posted by Cindy Lentine at 02:30 PM.
